Pipe-coupling.



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-n PI D.. 7. 7 77 6 2 7 m N APPLICATION FILED JULY 15, 1902. l

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N0 MODEL.

ATENT OFFICE.

FRANK N. SMITH, OF'BRADFORD, PENNSYLVANIA.

PIPE-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 726,777, dated April28, 1903-.

Application led .Tuly 15, 1902. Serial No. 115,726. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom. it may concern.:

Be it known that I, FRANK N. SMITH, a citiy zen of the United States,residing at Bradford,

v in the county of McKean and State of Penn- This invention relates to apipe-coupling;'

and the primary object of the same is to provide a simpleV and eectivemeans for connecting the ends of threadless pipes in such manner thatthey will be positively joined and leakage prevented, the improvedcoupling embodying means for accurately disposing it in appliedposition.

The invention consists in the construction and arrangement of theseveral parts, which will be more fully hereinafter described andclaimed. Y

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a longitudinal Vertical section of portionsof pipes, showing the improved coupling applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a topplan view of portions of pipe, showing a connecting member, forming apart of the coupling, in operative relation to the ends of the pipes.Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the portions of the ends of pipes, showingseatslots therein to receive the connector referred to by Fig. 2. Fig. 4is a transverse vertical section on the .line 4 4, Fig. 2.

Similar numerals of reference are employed to indicate correspondingparts in the several views.

The numerals 1 and 2 respectively designate sections of pipes which aredevoid of threads, and adjacent to and opening out of the ends of saidpipes' are seat-slots 3,-having outer enlarged circular portionscontinuing into reduced necks, and in the said slots 3correspondingly-shaped flanged connectors 4 are inserted and prevent thepipe-sections from rotating or being drawn apart while applying theremaining portions of the coupling. Two of the connectors are used atdiametrically upper and lower points in rela-tion to the pipe-sections,and the flanges of the said connectors bear upon the outer surfaces ofthe pipe-sections adjacent to the slots 3. Each connector 4 has alongitudinal recess 5 in the outer surface thereof, which is looselyengaged by the free end of an outwardlybowed dat spring 6, secured atone end to the connector, as clearly shown by Fig. 3. The springs 6project in reverse directions at opposite points in relation to theconnected pipe-sections and serve as centering as well as holding meansfor a sleeve 7, forming a part of the couplingand having centraloutwardlyprojecting seats 8 to receive the bowed portions of the spring6.- The seats 8 are at diametrically opposite points, and in view of theformation of the recess 5 in each connector 4 the opposite terminals ofthe flat spring 6 in engagement therewith are couutersunk liush with theouter surface of said connector, and theinner surface of the sleeve 8 onopposite sides of each seat is permitted to bear upon the terminalportions of the connector at opposite sides of the coupling to form. atight joint and assist in holding the connectors in the slots 3. Thesleeve 7 is slipped over the pipe-sections 1 and 2 in a longitudinaldirection, and during such application of the sleeve the connectors areprevented from becoming displaced in view of the flanged structurethereof. The opposite ends of the sleeve are dared outwardly, as at 9,to provide seats for rubber packing-rings 10, inserted therein andcircumscribing the pipe-sections. Clampingcollars 1l are also removablyapplied on the pipe-sections, one adjacent to each end of the sleeve 7,each of said collars having an inwardly-extending bearing-flange 12 topress against the outer edge of the packing-ring 10 and anoutwardly-extending securing-fiange 13, both securing-fianges'havingopenings 14 therein to receive clamping-bolt rods 15, headed at one endand bearing on the outer side of the liange 14 of one collar andterminally screw-threaded at the opposite endk to receive securing-nuts16, which bear against the outer side of the ange 14 of the othercollar. The collars l1 are drawn tightly inward by securing the nuts 12on the ends of the clampingrods l5, and by this operation theinwardly-extending flanges 12 are pressed firmly against thepacking-rings 10,and thereby force the latter inward to fill in crevicesthat may existbetween the opposite ends of the sleeve 7 and thepipe-sections, and thus form a perfectlytight joint. The bearing of thecollars 11 on the pipe-sections is reduced to a minimum by forming thesame with outwardly-flared openings 17, leading to the iianges 12, andafter IOO all the parts have been assembled as eX- plained a rigidcoupling is provided for the ends of pipe-sections which are constructedwithout threads. At any time desired the coupling may be removed bywithdrawing the clamping-rods 15, moving the collars 11 outwardly, andslipping1 the sleeve 7 longitudinally over the pipe-sections.

The present improved coupling is particularly advantageous in permittingthe use of pipethroughoutthe entirelineofequal weight and dispensingwith the ordinary elbows or bent unions by bending the pipe lengthitself, as clearly shown at 18, Fig. 1. To arrive at this result, thepipe length at the joint 18 may be bent by any of the wellknown meansand leakage, as at joints of the usual elbow form, is obviated, and itwill be observed that the pipe-section 1, having the bend 18 therein,will be connected at opposite terminals to adjacent pipe-sections, as 2,and another similar to the latter by the use of the improved coupling.

In the construction of the several parts of the coupling materials bestadapted for the purpose will be used, and to accommodate variousapplications changes in the form, proportions, and minor details ofconstruction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of theinvention.

Having thus fully described the invention, what is claimed as new is- 1.A pipe-coupling comprising pipe-sections having slots formed adjacent toand opening through the opposing ends thereof, connectors of a shapecorresponding to the slots and lit-ted in the latter and provided withoutwardly-bowed centering-springs, a sleeve extending over theconnectors and having seats to receive the springs and outwardly-aredends, packing-rings mounted between the outwardly-dared ends of thesleeve and the pipe-sections, collars having portions engaging the saidrings, and clamping-rods passing through the said collars.

2. The combination with pipe-sections, of connectors applied to theinner opposing ends thereof and having outwardly projecting yieldingdevices carried thereby, and a sleeve immovably held over thepipe-sections and the connectors and provided with seats to receive theontwardly-projecting yielding devices.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRANK N. SMITH.

Witnesses:

R. H. LEE, SAML. RonINs.

